Drive for washing machines or the like



5 Sheets-Sheet 1 p J. PERKINS ET AL DRIVE FOR WASHING MACHINES OR THE LIKE Filed Ju1y...22, 1951 I 0! i i INVENTORJ,

BY Julia .5. Perkins,

ATTORNEY.

P 13, 1932- J. L. PERKINS ET AL 7 1,877,531

DRIVE FOR WASHING MACHINES OR THE LIKE Filed July 22, 1931 5 Sheets-Shee 2 Mc /QM ATTORNEY.

Sept. 13, 1932.

J. x... PERKINS ET AL DRIVE FOR WASHING MACHINES OR THE LIKE Filed July 22. 1951 5 Sheets-Shee w T N E V W .6971: .Qv/Z Julian Lflzrkzjag ATTORNEY.

Sept. 13, 1932.

J. PERKINS ET AL DRIVE FOR WASHING MACHINES OR THE LIKE Filed July 22, 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 v 0/7 .E J; mg v n m x A 6 .11 $1 a am w Sept. 13, 1932. J. PERKINS ET AL DRIVE FOR WASHING MACHINES OR THE LIKE Filed July 22, 1931 5 Sheets-Shee 5 Patented Sept. 13, 1932 UNITED s'rATEs PATENT OFFICE JULIAN If. PERKINS, OF WEST SPRINGFIELD, AND HIRAMI D. CROFT, OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNORS TO PERKINS MACHINE & GEAR COM'PANY, .OF WEST SPRINGFIELD, IMASSACHJSETTS, A GORP ORATION or MASSACHUSETTS DRIVE FOR WASHING- MACHINES OR THE LIKE Application filed July 22, 1931. Serial No; 552,410.

This invention relates to improvements in driving mechanism and is directed more particularly to driving mechanism for washing machines and the like and is adapted for operating the oscillatory agitating member of a washing machine and a wringer.

The principal objects of the invention re? side in the provision of a driving mechanism for a washing machine or the like wherein an oscillatory drive shaft is mounted at one end in a casing and'at its other end is supported from the oscillating driver so as to eliminate bearings adjacent the oscillating element. 7

Another object of the invention is the provision in a mechanism of the classdescribed of manually operable means for disconnecting and connecting the oscillatory drive shaft from the driven element. 7

A further object of the invention is the provision of a mechanism of the class described which is simple in form so as to be economical-to manufacture and at the same time one which is efiicient in'its operation.

Various novel features and advantages of the invention will be more fully hereinafter referred to in connection with the accompanying description of the preferred form of the invention which for purposes'of disclosure is illustrated in the accomoan in drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 1s a plan view of a drlve mechanism embodying the novel features ofthe invention with parts in section for clearness.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the drive mechanism shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an end elevat-ional viewof the mechanism shown in Fig. 1. V

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 44 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 with certain of the parts in a different position.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing another formof the invention.

Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional view on the line 7-7 of Fig. 6, and

Fig. 8' is an .enlarged sectional view taken on the line '88 of Fig. 6.

Referring now to the drawingsmore in detail the invention will be fully described;

and the shaft 4 is provided for furnishing power to the wrlnger.

A motor 10 is carried at the right-hand end of the'casing'2 an'd haS a shaft 12 extending therefrom which is journalled in a suitable bearing 14 at a side of the casing, all as is shown in Figs. 1 and 2. I V

This shaft 12 has fixed thereto a worm 16 which meshes with a worm gear '18 of the shaft 4. The lower end of said shaft 4 is preferably journalled in a bearing 20 at the lower side of the housing 2. As the motor shaft 12 is rotated the shaft 4 is driven by means of the worm gear and worm in the well-known manner. A cam member is fixed to the shaft 4 and has a'peripheral cam groove 31 therearound which is disposed in a plane at an angle with respect-to the axis of rotation of said shaft 4 as'shown.

Followers 32 are located within the groove 31 of the member 30 and have trunnions 34 extending therefrom which are oscillatable in suitable sockets of a strap member 36 surrounding the member 30. This strap member is fixed to the rear end of an oscillatable drive sl1aft40'. 7

As the cam 30 is rotated by the shaft 4, the parts are so arranged that the strap member and shaft 40 are oscillated in one direction and then in the other. This construction is well known and neednot be further described. i

The forward end of fthe shaft 40'carries a driving member such as a gear segment 42, the hub 43' of whichis journalled in' the forward end of the casing 2'. It willbe observedthattheshaft 40 is journalledfor oscillation at oneend of the casing while its other end is supported entirely by the mechanism which imparts oscillatory movements thereto. This is desirable according to one feature of the invention because by the means thereof the bearing usually employed adjacent the oscillating mechanism is eliminated. In ordinary construction it is not only diflicult to align bearings at opposite ends of the shaft but a bearing adjacent the oscillatory mechanism is likely to bind the parts'constituting the oscillating mechanism.

With the improved construction wherein the shaft is supported by the oscillating mechanism, any tendency of binding is entirely eliminated so that the shaft is oscillated freely and in the manner desired. A cap 50 may be secured as by screws 52' to the upper open side of the casing 2 and may carry a tube 52 for supporting a wringer and in which the wringer shaft 4 is rotatable. The shaft 6 for oscillating the paddle of a washing machine extends through a tube 60 which is secured as by screw threads 61 to the upper side of the casing while its lower end is suitably journalled in a bearing 62 at the lower side of the casing.

The shaft 6 is also slidable up and down in its bearings and carries a gear 64 adapted to be brought into and out of engagement with the driving gear segment 42. A fork member 7 0 is disposed on the shaft 6 between a hub 65 of the gear 64 and a collar 66 fixed tothe shaft. This fork has a transverse slot 72 on its forward side which receives a pin 74 of a disk 7 6. A cover is secured to the end of the casing 2 by means of screws 82 and has a shaft 84 oscillatable therein. The disk 76 is carried by the inner end of the shaft 84 and a handle or operating lever 84 is secured to said shaft by the means of which the shaft may be oscillated to oscillate the disk 76. As the disk is oscillated the pin 74 moves the member 70 up and down and being between the members 65 and 66 moves the shaft 6 up and down to bring the gear 84 into and out of engagement with the driving gear segment 42.

A detent in the form. of a ball is carried in a socket 92 of the cover 80 and is springpressed forwardly by means of a spring 94 so as to yieldingly engage with sockets 95 in the rear face of the disk 76.

The sockets are so arranged on the disk as to be engaged by the detent when the shaft 6 in its upper .or lower position and the parts are so arranged as to hold the shaft in one of these positions.

' In the operation of the apparatus which may be associated with a washing machine the shaft 40 is oscillated in one direction and then the other to oscillate the segmental gear 42 and accordingly as it is desired to connect the oscillating shaft 40 to the shaft 6 the shaft 6 is moved up or down to bring the gear 64 into and out ofengagement with the segment 42. This may be readily accomplished by means of the lever 84 in the manner already described.

Another modification of the invention will now be described with particular reference to Figs. 6, 7 and 8.

In this form of the invention a casing is provided which may consist of separable upper and lower parts 102 and 104 which are bolted together in a rigid manner by means of bolts or screws .106 passing through abutting flanges 105 of the parts 102 and 104.

A shaft of a motor-as in the former case is suitably journalled in a bearing 112 at the lower side of the part 104 and carries a worm engaging with a worm gear; These latter parts may be like those described in connection with Figs. 1 and 2. An oscillating shaft 114 extends through thecase 100 and has fixed to its outer end a driving gear segment 116. A hub 117 of the segment is rotatable in a bearing 118 which is clamped by means of a cap 120 to the member 104, as shown more particularly in Figs. 6 and 7.

The shaft 104 is supported as in the for mer case by mechanism for oscillating it the opposite direction and may be the same as in Figs. 1 and 2. An upwardly extending hub portion of the housing 102 carries in screw threaded relation a tube 132. A bottom wall of a tub T is clamped to the hub 130 by means of a nut 142 in threaded engagement with the threaded tube 132 and suitable washers 144 are provided so that the hollow hub 153 which receives in its upper end in non-rotatable relation the driver 134 and blades or veins 158 extend from said hub of the paddle.

The paddle may be lifted upwardly from off the tube and shaft when desired but when in the position shown in Fig. 6 it is oscillated accordingly as the shaft is oscillated.

A lower shaft has its lower end suitably journalled in a bearing portion 172 of the case member 104 and carries a driven gear 174 which meshes with the segment 116. Engageable clutch members 17 6 are associated with the shafts 150 and gear 17 4. The upper clutch member 176 is provided with an annular groove 178 in which rides a grooved shoe 180. A shaft is rotatable in the casing at the right hand'end thereof and carries a disk 192 on the forward side thereof which has a pin'194 disposed in a groove'of the shoe 180. t

ber 176 into and out of clutching en age-- ment with the lower clutch member 175 A detent 200 in a suitable recess in the member 104 is spring pressed forwardly by means of a spring 202 so that it engages with.

sockets 206 in the rear face of the disk 192; This detent is provided for operating in conjunction with the recesses in the disk to frictionally hold the same against'oscillating movements and in that way the clutch members are held in and out of engagement.

As in the former case this mechanism may be associated with a washing machine so as to continuously operate a wringer and oscillate the paddle of the machine.

By oscillating the shaft 190 the clutch members are engaged and disengaged whereby the shaft 150 may be oscillated or disconnected from its driivng element.

Having described the invention in the form at present preferred, what we desire to claim and secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. Driving mechanism of the class described comprising in combination, a support, a rotatable shaft and an oscillatable driven shaft journalled therein, an oscillatable drive shaft having a forward end journalled in said support carrying 'a drive member, connections between the rear end of said oscillatable drive shaft and rotatable shaft supporting the former from the latter and arranged to impart oscillatory movements to said oscillatable driven shaft, -a driven member on said oscillatable shaft, engageable with said drive member and means for shifting said driven member into and out of engagement with the drive member.

2. Driving mechanism of the class described comprising in combination, a support, a rotatable shaft and an oscillatable driven shaft journalled therein, an oscillatable drive shaft having a forward end journalled in said support carrying a drive member, connections between the rear end of said oscillatable drive shaft and rotatable shaft supporting the former from the latter and arranged to impart oscillatory movements to said oscillatable driven shaft a driven member on said oscillatable shaft engageable with said drive member and means for shifting said driven member into and out of engagement with the drive member, the said connections including a part on the rear end of said oscillatable drive shaft which is associated with the rotatable shaft and is moved longitudinally thereby as the said shaft rotates.

3. Driving mechanism of the class described comprising in combination, a sup: port, a shaft rotatably journalled at one side of said support and an oscillatable driven shaft journalled .at another side thereof, an oscillatable drive shaft journalled at its forward end in said support adjacent said oscillatable driven shaft having a rear nonjournalled portionextending towards said drive shaft, a drive member on the forward end of said oscillatable drive shaft and a driven member engageable therewith and associated with said oscillatable drivenshaft and connections associated with the rotatable shaft and the rear non-journalled end of said oscillatable drive shaft for supporting the latter from the former and arranged to impart oscillatory movements tothe latter by rotation of the former.

4. Driving mechanism of the class de scribed comprising in combination, a support, a shaft rotatably journalled at one side of said support and an oscillatable driven shaft journalled at another side thereof, an oscillatable drive shaftjournalled at its forward end in said support adjacent said oscillatable driven shaft having a rear nonjournalled portion extending towards said drive shaft, a drive member on the forward end of said oscillatable drive shaft and a driven member engageable therewith and associated with said oscillatable driven shaft and connections associated with the rotatable shaft and the rear non-journalled end of said oscillatable drive shaft for supporting the latter from the former and arranged to impart oscillatory movements to the latter by rotation of the former, the said connections including a member on said oscillatable drive shaft receiving a trunnion of a follower disposed in a groove provided in a cam fixed on said rotatable drive shaft, the said groove being disposed concentrically of said rotatable shaft and in a plane at an angle relative to the axis of said shaft.

In testimony whereof we aflix our signa- 

